Biggest Challenges UCLA Faces in NCAA Tourney Matchup vs. Tulsa

Biggest Challenges UCLA Faces in NCAA Tourney Matchup vs. Tulsa

The UCLA Bruins will finally get their 2014 NCAA tournament campaign underway Friday night at 10 p.m. ET against the South Region's No. 13 seed, Tulsa.

The fourth-seeded Bruins (26-8) will have to wait until the last tip time in San Diego to grace the court with their presence, and they must be up to the task of taking down the dangerous Golden Hurricane (21-12).

Here is a look at the five biggest challenges that stand between the Bruins and a victory on Friday night.

Steve Alford's Big Dance Slump

In case this hasn't been brought up over the last few days, Steve Alford's record in the NCAA tournament is brutal (5-7).

The UCLA head coach has failed to make it out of the first weekend on his last six attempts.

During that horrific spell of March form, Alford's teams at Iowa and New Mexico have been eliminated in the first game three times.

The only time Alford made it to the Sweet 16 was back in 1999, when he was in charge of Southwest Missouri State.

Alford has enough talent on his roster at UCLA to make it that far this season, but his coaching abilities during crunch time is what has to worry Bruin fans more than the potential poor performance on the court.